Families are also our support systems. We look towards them for comfort in times of sadness. They will stay with us no matter what happens and will love us no matter what we do. All My Sons both supports and refutes this. Initially, the Kellers seem to be a happy family. It is even remarked that Chris is the rare sort of person who truly loves his parents, “You’re the only one I know who loves his parents. It’s out of style now”. The different families also gather together at the Kellers house. They seem to be bonded very closely to each other as they tease each other openly. Sue has a very innate understanding of how to calm Kate, “couple of drinks, dance her around a little”.
But there is resentment beneath the surface of their contented existence, resentment that reflects more than just grief at the loss of a son. Larry was clearly the favored of the Keller boys. Keller compares Larry's business sense to Chris's lack of it, and Chris complains that he has always played second fiddle to Larry in the eyes of his parents and of Ann, who was first betrothed to Larry. The family sometimes implies bitterness that Chris, not Larry, was the son who survived the war. Chris returned from the war with a new idealism that will not permit him to condone his father's shadier business practices. Keller believes that his actions are legitimate if he acts for the sake of his family. Chris also says he gets annoyed being treated “a sucker” by his family.
The bitterness that Chris faces shows us that sometimes our families take us for granted. When this happens, our families become the ‘thorn in our side’. They will then not play a positive role in our lives, but only serve to make our lives miserable. I feel that most families will play a positive role in one’s lives. Saying this, it still depends on the individual to find out how much he or she appreciates his or her family.
The theme of family also runs deep in the book, Island Voices. The short story, Corridor, is mainly about how an elderly lady finds her role in her family. She feels isolated within her own family as she feels that her family is taking advantage of her. She is resigned to the fact that she is old and is useless, “the best old people to live with are the dull ones”. This is almost similar to how Chris feels. Both feel they are useless. Chris feels he is useless as he always obeys and gives in to others, “a good sucker”. This elderly lady feels useless in her family because she is aging and old. It shows us that everyone, at some point of time in their lives, will feel that their families do not play an important role in their lives and are useless.
Another short story, A History Of Tea, tells us of how a family is connected together by a very strange and complex nature. The history of our families is as multifaceted as the history of tea. Tea has traveled the world, “from England to Ceylon, England to China and back again, always stopping in Singapore” and is called different names. Tea represents family, showing us that no matter where we go, the fight and quarrels we have, our families will always be our families. Tea also unites people and families, “We’ll keep in touch, she says, family is family”. Just like tea, families are warm and almost like a necessity in our everyday lives. This has similarities to the way the neighbourhood, to which the Kellers belong, behave. The neighbourhood is very closely knit and they have a personal understanding of each other. Though they know deep in their hearts that Keller is in the wrong, they still accept him into their society. There is a higher chance of our families accepting us back into their lives when we do wrong, compared to our friends. As the saying goes; ‘blood is thicker than water’.
Both books prove to us that family plays an integral part in our lives. To a certain extent, the experiences we have as a family mould us into the person we will one day become. However, there will be black sheep in certain families. Not everyone has the perfect ‘Holy Family’ and has experienced the joys of having a loving family. Usually, these people turn out to be bad people, turning to crime or drugs to find solitude. This only further supports that families play an important role in our lives.
Alyssa Stefanie Peter
11JLa
